UPDATE on my life, if anybody cares. My ~boyfriend~ and I recently made a huge life changing decision to ~move in together~ … ok it’s not that life changing since I was already spending most weekends at his place anyway. But it’s a pretty big step to me.

Anywho… I know not everyone agrees with it… (Dad, I’m talking to you)

How could we do this?

Live together.

Unmarried.

Shacking up.

Living in sin, I know. But hear me out on this one… I can list a million different reasons we chose to live together… I’m not living out of a duffle bag on the weekends, we get to see each other everyday (hello, I kinda like the guy), but the main reason is so that this can be a trial run. A test period, so to speak…

Some old fashion peeps might think an engagement or marriage should come before or along with moving in together… I disagree.

What if we get married, and I find something that irks me… Like, oh, I don’t know, the beard trimmings he leaves in the sink… or the fact that he takes his socks off in the living room and leaves them there? (This is hypothetical, of course)

What if I discover that he is physically incapable of rinsing out the sink or picking up his socks? Or what if he simply refuses to do either of those things as an act of rebellion?

What if I find myself married to a sockless bearded monster who can’t stand the amount of clothes I have? Or the fact that I let clothes sit in the dryer and get all wrinkly again?

This is why I think moving in together is so beneficial. We can test the waters and ask ourselves, “How much do I really love this person? Is it worth picking up his socks? Is he willing to clean his own beard trimmings?”

This is all hypothetical, again.

Breaking up or moving out is one thing. Divorce is quite another. Not that I see either of these things happening in our future. So far, the beard trimmings and socks don’t bother me badly enough. But keep an eye out for more Chronicles of Cohabitation.

In 2015 I turned 21. I quit sneaking into bars and arguing with bouncers about my address. In 2015 I graduated college. I quit calling myself a student and writing essays for money. In 2015 I got a real job. I quit sleeping ’till 2pm everyday. Continue reading “5 Things You Should Leave in 2015”→

Tis the season to be thankful, I suppose. While I realize I have countless things to be thankful for, I do think I have a few non-traditional things that I’ve come to really appreciate [wine & social media.] Continue reading “10 Things I’m Thankful For”→

I’m being so serious when I say don’t move out. DON’T DO IT. All I did was waste a bunch of money. I moved out of my parents’ house (twice). I also came back home (twice). I have no shame when it comes to saving money. First, I have to explain what happened when I moved out, so you can understand how I came to this decision and why I’m such a firm believer in staying home for as long as your parents will allow it.

Mistake No. 1: I was 18 and had just graduated high school. I wanted to live out my college dream. (Which was very short lived.) I moved into a dorm on campus with a randomly assigned roommate. We shared a tiny dorm room that had twin sized beds and awful lighting. It cost about $800 a month. It only took me three months to realize how incredibly stupid it was. I could easily afford a decent apartment (that didn’t include an inconsiderate roommate who would bring her male friends over while I was in a towel, and make me change behind a closet door) for $800 a month. So I broke my agreement with the university, and moved back home. My parents were ecstatic. (I was only 18, so it wasn’t awful or lame for me to live at home.)

Mistake No. 2: I was 19 and had had it with the curfew and chores and I just wanted out! Pouty face* A friend and I decided to get an apartment together, we’d been hanging out a few months and I figured I knew her well enough. (I don’t advise this to anyone, it rarely works out) Anyway the first few months were fine. We had a nice apartment with a pool and gym access. We knew people who could get us alcohol so we basically had it made. Anyway, my roommate (she who must not be named) moved her boyfriend in, who I wasn’t very fond of. Anyway, I suggested he pay part of the rent since he was living with us. All hell broke loose. Apparently that request was absolutely absurd and how DARE I ask him to pay rent when he sometimes supplies beer?! Needless to say, that lease was also broken, the friendship was damaged, and I came back home, AGAIN.

Now, this second move back home, I realized I should’ve never left. And I wasn’t a loser for living at home, I was smart. Here’s why:

No rent. I really started to appreciate the fact that I didn’t have to pay rent. All of my fellow classmates and old high school friends were getting married, pregnant and moving into apartments, and I was worry free. My parents eventually loosened up on my curfew, and honestly, they didn’t ask for very much out of me.

Good food. I never really appreciated home cooked meals. But in my time away from home, I was a fast food junkie. I’m not much of a cook (Eligible bachelors reading this: I’m learning) and my mom is pretty traditional when it comes to feeding her family. So I quickly adjusted to home cooked dinners and having leftovers for lunch the next day.

No roommates. This is debatable. I have 2 parents, a billion sisters and a dog so I technically had a couple roommates. But at least they couldn’t move people in or short me on rent. Plus I had 18 years of experience in putting up with annoyances.

Anyway, these are only three of the seriously good reasons to stay at home. Save your time, money and your sanity. Granted, if your parents are trying to kick you out, maybe you should go. But if they want maybe a couple hundred dollars in rent, you’re honestly better off forking it over than signing a lease elsewhere.